Protect Yourself

I took this photo in May 2012 as part of the Rivne Awareness Project. The PEPFAR funded project included two trainings of trainers for both teachers/psychologists in Rivne as well as secondary school students (grades 9-11). After completing the training teachers & students worked together to implement similar trainings at their schools for their peers. On May 15th students from schools in Rivne gathered in the center to take part in the last two events of the project; the ‘Chain of Knowledge’ and a candlelight memorial. The Chain of Knowledge involved students wandering the city center to talk with strangers to share their knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Students then asked individuals to write a fact about HIV on a slip of red paper that was then joined together to make a “chain of knowledge” about HIV. In this photo a candle lights a small banner as part of the candlelight memorial ceremony. Students in Rivne designed such banners to be displayed around the red-ribbon candles.